40 CCMMERCIAL FISHERIES REVIEW Vol. 13, No. 4 



Fishing Activities - Phoenix Islands ; No purse-seine fish were encountered 

 from January 23 to February 1+ in the Phoenix Islands or intervening waters (Canton, 

 Enderbury, Sydney, Hull, and Birnie Islands). 



Biological specimens of yellowf in tuna ( Neothunnus macropterus ) were taken by 

 trolling in the Phoenix Islands, but not as readily as was the experience of the 

 John R. Manning on Cruise III in July and August 1950. The weather was generally 

 good, "there being but three days when operations offshore could be termed unworkable, 



The gear used was a modified seine (2,000 feet long and 150 feet deep) hung In 

 Honolulu just prior to Cruise V. Two strips of linen webbing were added and the 

 number of 4-oz, leads per fathom of lead line was increased from 32 per fathom to 

 42 per fathom in the body of the seine (44 leads per fathom were on the first 50 

 fathoms of the seine). The seine, which was not performing up to expectations , was 

 re-hung on Canton Island by stripping out both strips of linen, placed in the net 

 just above the heavy mesh, and re-lacing and adding 32 fathoms, tapered. 



The natives and local inhabitants of long standing say the "season" for tuna 

 in these waters is March, April, May, and June. A brief but active run of tuna 

 was reported near the Phoenix Islands in November and December 1950, however. 



The passage to Jarvis from Enderbury took five days. Seas were moderately 

 rough and except for occasional terns and albatrosses, no signs of life were seen. 

 Arriving on Jarvis on February 10, seven yellowfin tuna were taken easily on troll- 

 ing gear in the lee of the Island. A chumming operation was attempted in the N.W. 

 lee of the island using chopped papio (jack). Wind and seas were too rough to see 

 or stay on chum, and the effort was dlsccxitinued. 



Night-light fishing under similar difficulties brought small crustaftea to the 

 surface, and numbers of opelu (scad mackerel) were seen at not less than 3 fathcana. 



Fishing Activities - Line Islands : On February 14 one school of skipjack 

 tuna ( Katsuwonus pelamis ) was sighted off the S.W. tip of Christmas Island. These 

 fish appeared to be working on feed, were tightly schooled and conservatiyely es- 

 timated in excess of 30 tons. They appeared for a matter of seconds, sounded, and 

 were gone. Intensive scouting resulted in no further signs. In the absence of 

 tuna, two sets were made on awa (milkfish) near the reef on the S.W. tip of Christ- 

 mas Island. Due to shoal water, the schools had to be cut in setting, and on both 

 occasions the entire school led out. 



An excellent school of mixed yellowfin and skipjack tuna, breezing and moving 

 slowly, were encountered off Fanning Island on February 19. The fish were J mile 

 offshore, 2 miles east of N. Cape. These tuna were leading shoreward and wind and 

 sea both set to reef. The John R. Manning was unable to make a set. No tuna were 

 seen on Palmyra or Kingnan Reef. 



Two test hauls were made on February 22 and data were gathered on the time 

 involved for the lead line of the seine to reach a given depth, and the stresses 

 involved in setting and hauling the net. Inspection of the linen webbing used in 

 the seine for this Cruise is encouraging on all counts; handling and use charac- 

 teristics, lasting qualities, and appearance and strength after preservative treat- 

 ment. However, based on the experience of the past year, the net will be rebuilt 

 to make it more effective. By making it longer and deeper it is believed that it 

 may be possible to surround the fast-swimming tuna schools of the central Pacific 

 Ocean. 



